Apparatus for repairing a cracked baseball bat



3,472,294 l APPARATUS Fon REPAIRVING A cRAcKED BASEBALL BAT @mmml Filed-Feb. 2, 196ey 3 Sheets-Sheet 1k A A S o M A A A n mmf m MQW A M \\A' Y A A A JS A A. FAA A A A AE AA NM. A G3 A A @at .AAH A @QA A ww A .A AOJA AA A M,\A \\\\\VA Af A A. A .lnlmlll i \|N\k\\ A .wwmlnmmmwdll .AHHHHHHMMUM A` .A A" AA A SW A A ASS MQ A @A n A A w @t A A #E A u A J AA I` f AAA. A Aw A m 03a Aww A l- A A. n mn A A V +A Fr f ww A A A AA A A A A E AA A A A 1 1. AA w .QMAANQA .N ww A A A/m.

Oct. V14, 1969 G. F. FRANscloNl 3,472,294 APPARATUSVFOR REPAIRING lA CRACKEDBASEBALL BAT Original Filed Feb. 2, `1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Oct 14, 1969- G. F. FRANscloNl 3,472,294

APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING A CRACKED BASEBALL BAT Original Filed Feb. 2, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR GENE F Fenfvsc/o/v/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A method for repairing a cracked baseball bat by drilling a hole into the base region of the crack, injecting an adhesive into the hole, applying force to bend the bat to cause the crack to separate, applying an adhesiveto the confronting surface of the crack, releasing the bending force, inserting a dowel into the drilled hole, wrapping the bat with a tensioned resilient element, allowing the adhesive to cure and subsequently sanding thebat and applying a finishing compound. Also disclosed is an elongated frame having a headstock and a tailstock at opposite ends. A motor and two speed gearing drives the headstock. Two presses mounted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the frame.

This is a division of by applicationvSer. No. 524,608, filed Feb. 2, 1966, and now patent No. 3,357,463.

This invention relates to apparatus for carrying out the method for repairing a cracked baseball bat which is the subject of my said prior application whereby the entire confronting surfaces over the `complete length of the crack are adhesively secured together to restore the baseball bat to substantialy its original condition.

A wooden baseball bat is made so that the grain of the wood runs generally longitudinally, the wood fibers normally being naturally bonded to each other over the entire length of the bat to give integrity thereto. Occasionally a baseball bat will become cracked from improper use or for some other reason, the crack occurring because the natural bond between twotadjacent layers of wood fibers is ruptured. A crack will usually extend over only a part of the length of the bat, and will include a hairline base region wherein the confronting-crack surfaces will be very closely spaced,or even in direct con tact with each other. 1 A cracked baseball bat is no longer an effective striking instrument, and thus the bat must be either` repaired or discarded. Because baseball lbats are relatively expensive, a substantial saving can be realized if they 'are repaired rather than discarded, and many attempt-s have thus been made to devise a method for repairing a `cracked baseball bat to restore it to a usable condition.

The ideal when repairing a crack in a baseball bat is to secure together the entire confronting crack surfaces in such a way as to duplicate as nearly as possible the original natural bond that held the wood bers together. A cracked baseball bat thus repaired will 'handle and function substantially as it did before being cracked, and can be returned to normal use.` One ditiiculty in obtaining bonding of the entire Iconfronting surfaces of the crack has been to spread adhesive on the extremely closely spaced, or contacting, surfaces in the hairline base region of a crack. The present invention solves this problem and can restore a cracked baseball bat to substantially its original condition, all without the use of nails, screws or other mechanical fasteners that can adversely affect the handling, balance and striking effectiveness of the bat. It is the principal object of this invention to provide a method for repairing a cracked baseball bat, whereby the entire confronting surfaces ofthe crack are securely adhesively bonded together in such a manner as to effectively simulate the natural bond which previouslysecured the wood fibers together, and to restore the bat to sub` stantially its original condition.

Another object is to provide a method for repairing a cracked -baseball bat, whereby adhesive is applied even to the confronting surfaces in the hairline base region of the crack to permanently bond them together.

A further object is to provide a ymethod for repairing a cracked baseball bat wherein the confrontingA crack surfaces, after being completely coated with adhesive, are tightly clamped together over the length of the crack by a resilient clamping force during curing of the adhesive.

Still another object is to provide apparatus in which ak cracked baseball bat to be repaired by the method of the invention is mounted, constructed to be operable for effecting separation of the outer confro-nting Isurfaces of vthe crack so that adhesive can be applied thereto.

Yet another object is to provide apparatus of the type described, constructed and arranged so that different size baseball bats can be readily mounted and removed therefrom.

A still further object is to provide apparatus of the type described, operable to wrap a baseball bat with a tensioned, elongated resilient strip to place a resilient clamping force thereon.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: i

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the baseball bat repairing apparatus of the invention with a baseball bat mounted therein, and with one of the presses actuated to separate the confronting surfaces at the outer end of the crack so that adhesive can be Ispread thereon;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 1A1A in FIG. 1, showing the construction of the tailstock assembly for supporting the handle end of the baseball bat;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1, showing the construction and arrangement of the longitudinally slidable presses for bending =a cracked baseball bat to expose the confronting surfaces at the outer end of the crack;

. FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the gun-forinjecting adhesive into the hairline base region of a crack in a baseball bat; a

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 5 5 in FIG. 4, showing the nozzle on the injection gun; a FIG. 6 is a view showing the first step in the method,v wherein a hole is drilled in the baseball bat to the hair-A line base region of the crack therein; i

FIG. 7 shows the second step of the method, `wherein the injector gun of FIGS. 4 andI 5 `is utilized to inject adhesive through the drilled hole in the baseball bat` to completely coat the opposed crack surfaces in the base region of the crack; e

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the third and fourth steps of the method, wherein the baseballbat is bent in opposite directions to separate the confronting surfaces at the outer end of the crack, and adhesive is spreadon the separated sur,- faces to completely coat the same; t, Y

FIG. 10 shows the baseball bat with a wooden-'dowelv in place to `close the drilled hole, and with the b at ready. for wrapping first with a sheet of nonadhearing material, and then with a tensioned elongated resilient element; and

A FIG. 11 V showsthe final step of the method, wherein a tensioned elongated resilient element is wound about the -baseball bat while the latter is being revolved by the apparatus of FIGS. 1 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus in which a cracked baseball bat is mounted for carrying out the method of the invention is shown at 1 in FIGS. 1-3, and includes a downwardly-facing channel iron bed 2 having base angle iron 3 and 4 welded to its opposite ends, and having a headstock assembly S mounted on one end thereof above the angle iron 3. The base angle irons 3 and 4 rest on a bench 6, and are secured thereto by bolts 7.

The headstock assembly 5 includes a housing 8 having a pair of bearings 9 mounted on its spaced end walls 10 and 11, said bearings supporting a spindle 12. The foreward end of the spindle 12 projects beyond the inner end wall 11 of the housing 8, and is fitted with a conventional driving head 14 having a projection 15 thereon which can be driven into the outer end face 16 of a baseball bat 18 to rotatably drive the same. Disposed on the spindle 12 between the bearings 9, and within the housing 8, is a small pulley 20 and a large pulley 22, the housing 8 having a cutaway opening 24 therein to provide access to said pulleys 20 and 22 by a belt 26.

Welded to the channel member 2 to extend rearwardly from the housing 8 are two spaced, parallel angle irons 34 and 36, and pivotally secured to the outer ends thereof by a bolt 38 is the lower end of a generally vertical frame 40. The frame 40 comprises a pair of angle irons 42 and 44 connected midway thereof by vertically spaced transverse angle irons 46 and 48, and at their lower ends by a rectangular bar 50 having a bore therethrough for receiving the bolt 38. Secured to the top rear edges of the frame 40 is a pair of spaced pillow block bearings 52, through which a shaft 54 extends. Positioned on the shaft 54 between the pillow block bearings 52 is a large pulley 56, aligned with the small pulley 20, and a small pulley 58, aligned with the large pulley 22. The belt 26 is received on the small pulley 58 and the large pulley 22 to rotate the spindle 12 at a slow speed, and is shifted to the large pulley 56 and the small pulley 20 for rapidly rotating the spindle 12. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 54 is a large drive pulley 60.

Projecting upwardly from the juncture of the bed 2 and the inner end of the angle iron 34 is an angle iron 62, of about one-half the height of the frame 40. Pivotally connected to the upper end of the angle iron 62 by a pivot bolt 64 is the lower end of a handle 66, the handle 66 having a perpendicularly projecting crank arm 68 on the lower end thereof. Attached to the vertical angle iron 42 of the frame 40 in alignment with the pivot bolt 64 is a bracket 70, and a turn buckle connecting link 72 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the bracket 70 by a bolt 74, and at its other end to the outer end of the crank arm 68 by a bolt 76.

It is thus seen that when the handle 66 is pivoted forwardly from the vertical position shown in FIG. 2, the frame will be pivoted forwardly about the bolt 38. This provides sufficient slack in the belt 26 to effect changing thereof from one set of pulleys to the other, to obtain a desired change in the speed of rotation of the spindle 12. After the belt 26 is in position, the handle 66 is returned to its vertical orientation. The frame 40` is consequently also returned toits original position, whereby the belt 26 is tightened, and thereafter the crank arm 68 and the link 72 function to hold the frame 40 in its vertical position until it is again desired to change the position of the belt 26.

A motor support frame 78 is welded to extend rearwardly from the bed 2, said frame being spaced inwardly from the drive pulley 60 and including a base angle iron 79 on its outer end that is secured to the bench 6 by a bolt 80. Attached to the motor frame 78 is an electric motor 82 including an output shaft 83, which is connected by a belt 84 to the large drive pulley 60. It should be noted that the shaft 54 and the frame 40 are arranged 4 so that the distance betweenA the shafts 54 and 83 will remain substantially constant during pivoting of the frame 40 from its vertical position to its forward position and return, whereby the belt 84 will be under substantially constant tension. It is thus seen-that when the motor 82 is energized it will rotate the spindle 12, the speed of rotation being determined by the position of the belt 26 on the pulleys 20, 22, 56 and 58.

The end of the channel iron bed 2 oppositeto that on which the headstock assembly 5 is mounted has a pair of confronting rail members 85 welded thereon, which dene a track for receiving a tailstock assembly 86. The tailstock assembly 86 includes a housing 88, which incorporates conventional clamping apparatus (not shown) for securing itrwhere desired along the rails 85.

The housing 88 has a bore 90 extending therethrough, the longitudinal axis of which is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the spindle 12. The rear end of the bore 90 is threaded, and received therein is a shaft 92 having threads 94 on the rear portion thereof, the shaft 92 terminating in a handle 96. The forward end of the shaft 92 extends through a bushing sleeve 100 tted in the front end of the bore 90, and is Unthreaded. By rotating the shaft 92 with the handle 96, said shaft can thus be axially shifted toward and away from the spindle 12.

rfhe top of the housing 88 has a threaded bore 102 therethrough opening onto the shaft 92 just behind the bushing sleeve 100, and received within said bore is the threaded end 104 of a handle 106. The inner end face of the threaded handle end 104 has a bore 108 therein, within which is received the reduced diameter base portion of a resilient head 110. By tightening the handle 106 until the head 110 tightly engages the shaft 92, said shaft can be secured against rotation to fix it at any desired axial position thereof.

The outer end 98 of the shaft 92 is reduced in diameter, and has a pair of bearings 112 mounted thereon, Mounted on the bearings 112 is a tailstock element 114, `comprising a cylindrical body 116 having a bore 118 therein within which the bearings 112 are received. The element 114 and the bearings 112 are held in assembled relationship by a lock ring 120, the inner races of the bearings 112 being tightly fitted on the shaft end 98 to secure said bearings thereon.

The outer end 122 of the element 114 is generally bell-shaped, and includes a rounded concavity 124 which confronts the head 14 on the spindle 12, the longitudinal axis of the concavity 124 being aligned with the longituv dinal axis of the spindle 12. The concavity 124 Iwill readily receive the handle end 126 of the baseball bat 18, and can readily accommodate handle ends of various diameters. Furthermore, the concavity 124 is intended to somewhat envelop the handle end 126, whereby it will be retained in position while the baseball bat 18 is being bent. This is accomplished by having the largest diameter of the concavity 124 (at the outer end thereof) substantially larger than the largest expected diameter for a baseball bat handle end, whereby the baseball bat handle end will engage the surface of the concavity 124 midway along the depth thereof. The concavity 124 is generally spherical in shape, so that it will center the handle end 122 of the baseball bat 18 concentrically about the longitudinal axis of the spindle 12.

The apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 is readily adaptable to receive baseball bats of varying lengths. Initially, the tailstock assembly 86 is positioned on the rails 85 so that when the threaded shaft 92 is completely backed off a baseball bat 18 of the desired length can be mounted, and so that said bat can be firmly clamped in position by turning the handle 96 to advance the threaded shaft 92. To place the baseball bat 18 in the apparatus, the outer end face 16 thereof is first center-punched toy receive the projection 15 on the driving head 14. The outer end face 16 is then engaged With the driving head 14, and with the shaft 92 backed off the handle end 126 of the bat is inserted into the concavity 124. With the handle 106 loosened, the handle or crank 96 is then turned to advance the shaft 92. and the element 114 carried thereon toward the spindle 12 until the baseball bat 18 is tightenly clamped in position. The handle 106 is then tightened to lock the shaft 92 against rotation, thus ensuring that the baseball bat 18 will remain mounted until removal thereof is desired.

The baseball bat 18 has a crack 128 therein, the crack including `a hairline base region V130 adjacent to its inner end 132, and terminating in an open outer end 134 lying on the periphery of the bat. During the method of the invention it is necessary to bend the baseball bat 18 to separate the confronting surfaces of the crack 128 at the outer end 134 thereof, and for this purpose the apparatus 1 includes a pair of identical presses 136 and 138,

Welded to the front face of the channel iron bed 2 is a pair of spaced brackets 140, between which extend a pair of parallel cylindrical bars 142 that comprise a track for slidably mounting the press 136. The bars 142 are secured to the brackets 140 by bolts 143, which pass through bores provided iu the brackets 140 and which are received in threaded bores provided in the opposite ends of the bars 142. An identical pair of brackets .144 is 'mounted on the rear face of the channel iron bed 2 opposite the brackets 140, and support a pair of spaced, parallel cylindrical bars 146.

Received on the parallel bars 142 is 'a rectangular carrier block 148, having parallel bores 150 extending there through for receiving the bars 142. Thus, the carrier block 148 is slidable along the length of the bars 142, said bars being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spindle 12, and hence parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mounted baseball bat 18. An identical carrier block 152, having bores 154 therethrough, is mounted on the bars 146.

The press 136 is secured to the carrier block 148, and includes a generally U-shaped base 155 having a base flange 156 that is secured to the block 148 by bolts 158. The base 15S carries a slidably mounted shaft 160, arranged for movement toward and away from the baseball bat 18 along an axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spindle 12. One end of a handle 162 is pivotally attached to the rear leg of the base 156 by a pin 164, and a link 166 is pivotally connected between the handle 162 inwardly of pin 164 and the rear end of the shaft 160. The handle 162 and the link 166 are arranged so that when the handle `162 is swung toward the baseball bat 18 (as shown in FIGS. l-3) leverage will be generated to move the shaft 160 toward said bat.

The forward end of the shaft 160 has a threaded bore 168 therein for receiving a threaded shaft 170, the latter having a resilient head 172 mounted thereon. The shaft 170 can be adjusted to alter the extent to which the tip of the resilient head 172 projects toward the baseball bat 18, and is secured in position by lock nuts 174. The threaded shaft 170 is adjusted so that the resilient head 172 will engage 'and bend the baseball bat 18 when the handle .162 is swung forwardly, said resilient head preventing damage to the bat. Baseball bats of various diameter can be accommodated merely by adjusting the projection of the threaded shaft 170. The press 138 is identical to the press 136, and includes a shaft 176 operated by a handle 178, and fitted with an adjustable threaded shaft 180 terminating in a resilient head 182.

In operation, when it is desired to bend the baseball bat 18 it is rotated until the plane of the crack 128 lies generally vertically. The handle of the press 136 or 138 confronting the surface of the baseball bat opposite that on which the outer end 1,34 of the crack 128 terminates is" then operated to engage the resilient headcarried on the shaft of said press with the bat. Movement of the press handle is then continued to generate force for bending the baseball bat until the confronting crack surfaces at the outer end 134 of the crack are separated to the desired extent, The shaft of the opposite press is retracted 6 during this operation, as shown for the press 138 in FIGS. l-3.

Adhesive is then applied to the separated crack surfaces while the baseball bat .18 is in this first position, after which the press is released. The baseball bat 18 is then rotated through and the press on the opposite side of the bed 2 is then employed to repeat the procedure.

Usually, it is desired to position the presses 136 and 138 about midway the length of the crack 128. For this reason, and because the crack position and length will be different for nearly every baseball bat, it is necessary that the presses 136 and 138 be positionable where desired along the length of a baseball bat mounted in the apparatus 1. The carrier blocks 148 and 152, and the bars 142 and 146, provide the needed adjustability.

Turning now to the method of the invention, such is best described by reference to FIGS. 6-11, wherein is shown the baseball bat 18 having the crack 128 therein. The first step of the method is to make a hole 184 in the baseball bat 1x8 at a point about one-half to three quarters of an inch inwardly from the inner end 132 of the crack, Within the hairline base region 130 thereof. The hole 184 can be made with a bit 186 driven by a suitable drill unit 188, as shown in FIG. 6, the hole being drilled into the surface of the baseball bat 18 on which the outer end 134 of the crack 128 terminates at a right angle to the plane of' the crack, and about midway between the Opposite side edges of the crack. The hole 184 will typically have a diameter of about V32 of an inch, and is of a depth to just pass through the base region 130 of the crack. After the hole 184 has been made, the baseball bat 18 is ready for the second step of the method.

The second step of the method involves injecting adhesive into the base region 130 of the crack 128 through the hole 184, and for this purpose an injection gun is required, such being shown at in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7. The injection gun utilized can be of any commercial variety capable of pumping a viscous liquid under pressure. The gun 190 is a conventional grease gun modified to include a specially constructed nozzle 192, and includes a cylindrical body 194 having a dome 196 threaded ou the upper end thereof and closed at its lower end by a cap 198. A piston (not shown) is received within the body 194, and is attached to a piston rod 200 that extends through a bore in the cap 198. The body 194 receives a supply of the adhesive to be utilized, which is forced into the dome 196 by operating the piston rod 200 to move the piston attached thereto toward the dome.

The dome 196 has a pump 202 mounted thereon, said pump including a barrel 204 which is threaded at its outer end 206 to receive the nozzle 192. A, spring-biased plunger 208 is received within the barrel 2014, and by operating the same adhesive is pumped under pressure from the dome 196 through the nozzle 192.

The nozzle 192 includes a hexagonal-shaped body 210 having an enlarged threaded bore 212 in one end thereof for receiving the threaded outer end 206 of the pump barrel 204. The other end 214 of the body 210 is planar and has a frusto-conical projection 216 thereon, the outer end of which is provided with wood screw threads 218. An axial bore 220 extends through the projection 216 and the body 210, and communicates with the bore 212. Thus, adhesive pumped from the dome 196 by the pump 202 will be expelled through the outer, open end of the bore 220.

The diameter of the threaded outer end of the projection 216 is smaller than the diameter of the bore 184. To carry out the second step of the method, after the gun 190 has been charged with a load of adhesive the outer end of the projection 216 is threaded into the bore 184, to tightly secure the nozzle 192 to the baseball bat 18. Adhesive is then pumped under pressure through the bore 220 into the bore 184, from whence it ows between the confronting crack surfaces within the base region 130 of the crack 128. The adhesive, being under pressure, will flow into even the most inaccessible hairline regions at the inner end 132 of the crack 128, and pumping of the adhesive is continued until excess adhesive emerges along the entire edges of the crack 128 within the base region 130. After sufficient adhesive has emerged from the edges of the crack 128 to indicate that the entire confronting crack surfaces within the hairline base region 139 have been coated, the gun 190 is removed, and the second step of the method has been completed. The baseball bat 18 is preferably placed in the apparatus 1 to carry out this second step of the method. In any case, it must be mounted in the apparatus 1 before the next steps of the method are carried out.

The next step of the method is to bend the cracked baseball bat 18 to separate the confronting crack surfaces at the outer end 134 of the crack 128, after which adhesive is manually spread with a spatula or other suitable instrument on the separated surfaces. To carry out this step of the method, the baseball bat 18 is rotated in the apparatus 1 into a rst orientation, wherein the plane of the crack 128 is vertical. The press 136 or 138 on the side of the baseball bat 18 opposite to the surface on which the crack 128 terminates is then axially positioned at the desired point along the length of the crack 128, preferably about midway thereof, and the press is then operated to lbend the bat and to thereby spread apart the confronting crack surfaces at the outer end 134 of the crack. After the baseball bat 18 has been bent sufliciently to provide access to those areas of the crack surfaces which were not coated with adhesive during the second step of the method, adhesive is manually applied with a spatula to said surfaces. Excessive adhesive which oozed out of the base region 130 of the crack during the second step of the method can be picked up by the spatula, for application to the crack surfaces in this step of the method.

It is preferable that the entire crack surfaces be thoroughly coated with adhesive over the entire length of the crack 128, and especially at the outer end 134 thereof. To further ensure this, after completing spreading of the adhesive while the baseball bat 18 is in its first orientation the bending force on the bat is relieved, and the bat is then rotated through 180 into a second orientation. The press 136 or 138 on the opposite side of the baseball Ibat 18 is then utilized to again bend the bat for exposing the crack surfaces at the outer end 134 of the crack, and once again adhesive is applied to any uncoated areas of the separated surfaces. The bending force on the 4baseball bat is then terminated, and this step of the method is completed.

Before the 'bat is prepared for curing, the hole 184 is filled by inserting a wood dowel 224 therein, there being sufficient adhesive in the hole 184 to securely bond the dowel in position. The outer end of the dowel is made flush with the outer surface of the baseball bat 18, and the bat then appears as in FIG. l0.

The next step in the method is to wrap the region of the baseball bat 18 wherein the crack 128 lies with a nonadhering sheet material 226, such as ordinary waxed paper. This material is chosen so that it can be easily removed from the baseball bat after the adhesive has dried and cured. The baseball bat 18 is then ready for the final step of the method.

Before undertaking the next step of the method the belt 26 of the apparatus 1 is placed on the pulleys 22 and 58, whereby when the motor 82 is energized the baseball bat 18 will be rotated at a relatively slow speed, say about 90 1.p.m. One end 228 of a rubber strip or binding 230 is then applied to the baseball bat 18 outwardly from the inner end 132 of the crack 128, and the main portion of the strip 230 is then crossed over said outer end 228. A strong pulling or tension force is then exerted on the elongated, resilient strip 238, whereby the end 228 thereof is made to cling to the baseball bat 18. While the pulling force is maintained on the strip 230 the motor 82 is turned on to effect rotation of the baseball bat 18. With the baseball bat 18 rotating at a slow speed, the tensioned rubber strip 230 is guided manually to spirally Wrap it about the bat over the entire length of the crack 128, each turn of the strip 230 preferably overlapping the one before. When wrapping has been completed, the motor 82 is turned off and the free end 232 of the rubber strip 230 is then tied in a half-bow to secure the tensioned, wrapped resilient strip 230 on the baseball bat 18. The tensioned strip 230 functions to exert a circumferentially and axially continuous clamping force on the cracked portion of the 'baseball bat 18, which force clamps the adhesively coated confronting crack surfaces tightly together, and holds them thusly While the adhesive cures.

The elongated, resilient strip 230 is made of rubber about 11/2 to 2 inches in width, and is about 36 inches long. After it has been installed on the baseball bat 18 the bat is removed from the apparatus 1, and is placed in a suitable rack or other location for curing. When the adhesive has fully cured the bond pro-vided thereby between the wood fibers over the length of the crack 128 will eiectively simulate the natural bond that originally existed, and the baseball bat will be restored to substantially its original condition.

While there are several adhesives that might be used with good results in carrying out the method of the invention, it has been found that best results are obtained by using a two-part epoxy resin of the type now commercially available, and which is formulated to have an elastic modulus compara-ble to that of Wood. The adhesive is preferably colored a distinctive shade, to facilitate observation as to whether or not complete coating of the crack surfaces has been obtained.

After the baseball bat 18 has cured it is taken from the curing area, and the rubber strip 230 and the nonadhering sheet material 226 are removed. The baseball bat is then again mounted in the apparatus 1, and the belt 26 is shifted to the pulleys 56 and 20 to effect rotation of the bat at a high speed when the motor 82 is energized. The baseball bat 18 is then rapidly rotated within the apparatus 1, and is sanded to remove any excess adhesive therefrom. A new finish is then applied to the baseball bat by spraying it with a finishing compound such as Krylon, and after such compound has dried the bat is ready to return to normal service.

While the invention has been described only with respect to repairing cracked baseball bats, it is to be understood that it might be equally well employed to repair other similar wooden instruments, such as bats utilized in softball and other games, ax handles, and the like.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that Within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically shown and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in repairing a cracked baseball bat, comprising: a frame; a headstock assembly on said frame, including a spindle engageable with one end of a baseball bat; a tailstock assembly on said frame, including an element confronting said spindle and in alignment with the longitudinal axis thereof, said tailstock element being engageable with the other end of a baseballbat and being movable along said longitudinal spindle axis to mount a baseball bat between said headstock assembly and said tailstock assembly for rotation about said axis; and a pair of presses, one mounted on eachl side of said longitudinal axis for movement parallel therewith, said presses each being operable to engage and bend a cracked baseball bat mountd between said spindle and said tailstock element to thereby separate andfexpose the confronting crack surfaces at the outer end of said crack.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including motor means connected with said spindle, and selectively opera- 9 ble to rotate a baseball bat engaged with said spindle at a relatively slow speed for wrapping a tensioned resilient strip thereabout, and at a relatively high speed for surface nishing of said baseball bat.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said tail stock element is rotatably mounted, and has a rounded concavity in the surface thereof confronting said spindle of a configuration to readily accommodate the handle end of a baseball bat, and to retain said handle end therein while the baseball bat is bent by said presses.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including: track means supported by said frame on each side of said longitudinal spindle axis, and extending parallel with said axis; and a carrier block slida'bly mounted on each track means, one press being mounted on each carrier block.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein each press includes: a base secured to said carrier block; a shaft slidably carried by said base, and movable toward and away from said longitudinal spindle axis; and lever means on said base connected to said shaft, and operable to move said shaft for engaging and bending a baseball bat mounted between said headstock assembly and said tailstock assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,003 8/1894 Copley et a1.` 72--389 673,991 5/1901 Alden 72-389 FRANCIS S. HUSAR, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl.X.R. 

